Kadamba Tree is the sthala vriksham of Madurai Meenakshi Temple and the story of Kadamba Tree and Lord Shiva begins in Vedic age. A withered relic of the Kadamba tree associated with the legend is preserved at Meenakshi Temple. Indra was cursed with Brahmahatya after killing Vishvarupa and Vritrasura. As a result of the sin, Indra could no longer live in the heaven. The sin took the form of repulsive figure and followed him constantly. To escape from the sin, he took refuge in the stems of lotus flowers in the Mansarovar Lake for a thousand years. Deva Guru Brihaspati took pity on Indra and asked him take the blessings of Shiva by visiting sacred places associated with Shiva on earth. Indra then visited all the known sacred places on earth associated with Shiva like Ganga, Kashi, Kedarnath etc. But still the sin followed him. Finally, Indra took refuge in a grove of Kadamba tree near a pond in South India. For the first time after thousands of years Indra felt a pro